Siamese Twins in Hospital; One Has Pneumonia

1936

NEW YORK, Nov, 18. — One Siamese twin has lobar pneumonia, while the other remains in perfect health in the New York hospital. They are occupying the same bed as they have done of necessity since they were born joined together, 26 years ago, in the Philippines.

The condition of Lucio Codina, who has pneumonia, was described here at the hospital as "critical" as a result of an eleven-day struggle with a developing chill which caused him — with his brother, Simplicio — to be brought to the hospital when they finally called in Dr. Benjamin Fabricant, who lives in the same house.

Since the brothers are joined only by a thick muscular coupling at the base of their spines, they do not share their ailments as do joined twins who have vital organs or blood circulation in common. They have spent their lives back to back, and it is in this position that they are confronting the present emergency.

They are attended by their wives, Natividad and Victorina, who are sisters. The Codino twins married them in Manila in 1929. To obtain the marriage license they had to appeal from the judgment of the license clerk who held that since the twins were not single they could not marry. The Philippine department of justice overruled the clerk.

Immediately thereafter, the quadruple newlyweds started on their honeymoon with a tour of appearances in theaters, vaudeville and motion picture houses through the United States and Canada.

—The Hammond Times, Hammond, IN, Nov. 18, 1936, p. 7.